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Who needs a combo card? If you have a DV camera and you also want to take advantage of the speed and widespread availability of USB 2.0, you're a good candidate. FireWire chips are more expensive than USB ones, so you'll pay a premium of around $40 to get both interfaces on one card. FireWire proved a bit faster than USB 2.0, but again, there was little difference in speeds among the cards we tested.

Each of the three pricey combo cards we reviewed has three USB 2.0 and two FireWire connectors; some of them also have internal ports and even internal connections to a computer's power supply. Unless you're planning to run extra cables for adding more ports to your front drive bays, you should have no need for the internal ports. We do recommend cards with internal power connectorsjust to be on the safe side. Certain peripherals may need the extra power.

Jeremy Kaplan is a former executive editor for PC Magazine and co-host of the Fastest Geek competition. He also served as Editor of GoodCleanTech.com.
Kaplan helped to determine overall editorial direction, managed staff, and shaped the editorial calendar. Prior to this, Kaplan succumbed to his inner geek, launching the spin-off publication ExtremeTech Magazine. During this time, he helped popularize the Fastest Geek competition, where contestants compete to assemble a computer from parts as quickly as possible. Kaplan graduated from Vassar College in 1996, majoring in both...
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